Bale miss costs Spurs vs Chelsea: Man Utd ready to pounce

Utd bought Carrick and Berbatov from Spurs

Gareth Bale of Wales celebrates his second goal during the Fifa 2014 World Cup Qualifier Group A match against Scotland at Cardiff City Stadium on October 12, 2012 in Wales. (GETTY)

Chelsea showed what Tottenham were missing on Saturday when they turned on the style riding on a Juan Mata double to stun Spurs at White Hart Lane.

Deprived of winger Gareth Bale after he rushed to be with his girlfriend who went into labour, Tottenham suffered their first defeat since losing to Newcastle United on the opening day of the season.

Bale withdrew from Tottenham’s starting XI less than an hour before the Premier League clash.

The 23-year-old had officially been named on the Spurs team sheet before telling club bosses he could not play in the match at White Hart Lane.

Spurs boss Andres Villas-Boas insisted the club fully respected the player’s decision not to play in what turned out to be a 4-2 defeat for his team.

“It is a personal matter. It would have prevented him playing with the right frame of mind and we respect that," he said.

“That is why he wasn’t involved today.”

Following Spurs’ defeat at Chelsea, hundreds of fans took to Twitter to wish the Wales international well as he prepared to become a father.

Bale may be forgiven by Tottenham fans for skipping the match against Chelsea for family reasons.

But with Manchester United waiting to pounce on the Spurs sensation, he could become a villain.

Having bought Michael Carrick and Dimitar Berbatov from Spurs, speculation is rife whether Alex Ferguson would go for Bale next.

However, former Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp believes Bale is happy where he is.

"There are only two foreign destinations which would represent a step up for Gareth - the two Spanish giants. But he’s perfectly happy at Tottenham and I don’t think he should be in any rush to leave," Redknapp wrote in his column in The Sun (http://bit.ly/PipLcP).

"He’s at a big club, he’s loved by the fans and the manager and, most importantly, he’s the best player in the best league in the world.